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Bengals at Panthers: 5 players we should be watching The football Gods decided to balance out the Bengals fortune this week by bestowing numerous injuries during and after the team’s 2-0 start. Several key players could or will miss their upcoming road game against the Panthers Jeff Driskel Jersey White , and some familiar faces will have to step in for the entire game in order to come out of Charlotte with a win. Here are the five Bengals we think you should focus on in your viewing of the game.Giovani BernardWhat in the world is going on in the Bengals running back room? Starter Joe Mixon had arthroscopic surgery last Saturday that removed a small particle from his knee and was slated to miss potentially multiple games. Now his return is entirely up to him as it was revealed he actually just had a slight meniscus tear. On Monday’s practice, we learned that Tra Carson tore a hamstring and has since been waived, and in his place came free agent signee Thomas Rawls. The fourth-year player failed to make the Jets roster this preseason after an injury-filled three year run with the Seahawks, but won a spot after the Bengals worked him and three other running backs out earlier this week. Now it’s Bernard, the man who is supposed to take over for Mixon, dealing with a knee injury of his own. Bernard was limited in yesterday’s practice and it’s unclear as of now if he’ll be 100% for Sunday’s game. If he is, how he fares in an increased role against a Luke Kuechly-lead defense on the road will be crucial for the Bengals red hot offense.John RossThe offense has been very good, but outside of his touchdown catch in Week 1, Ross has mainly been a bystander to all the success so far.Ross ranks fifth in targets with six and has only caught two of them. He simply hasn’t been an integral part of the offense, even though he’s been getting separation more times that he’s had the ball come his way. The potency of the offense speaks to Ross’ lack of contribution and yet still putting up 61 points, but we’d like to see Ross have a game like Tyler Boyd just had against Baltimore pretty soon. Before that happens though, Ross needs to re-establish trust with his hands, as he’s turning into a body-catcher. As we’ve seen in the preseason and Week 1, all it takes is one play for Ross’ to make a lasting impact on the defense. A breakout game against the Panthers speedy defense would be very welcomed. Alex RedmondAs Trey Hopkins takes over at center for Billy Price in the coming weeks Womens John Ross Jersey , Redmond has his own issues he’s still working through. Through two weeks, he’s been one of the worst pass-blocking guards in the league, and has allowed the most pressure from any Bengals offensive lineman.It’s not been all bad for Redmond, but his good reps have been just as prevalent as his bad ones. The beginning of his first season starting is mirroring Hopkins’ 2017 season minus the injury Hopkins suffered early on. During the first handful of the games Hopkins started, he also went through a rough patch but eventually started to play a lot more consistently near the end of the season. The hope is that Redmond follows suit and he can provide more consistency.Redmond has shown he’s at the very least capable, and going up against Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short will be a monumental task for him this week. Sam HubbardIs Michael Johnson playing? We don’t know, but we do know he’s somehow practicing this week after it was reported he’d be sidelined for a little while with a knee injury. Johnson may not end up suiting up, and if that’s the case, Hubbard will be counted on to play around 50 snaps again like he did last Thursday.The Bengals defensive line as a whole has a huge responsibility going up against the best dual-threat quarterback in the game in Cam Newton. Specifically for force players on the edge like Hubbard, they need to stay discipline on reads and options and not allow Newton to get past the edge. For Hubbard’s third game of his career, he’ll have his hands full in that regard. Luckily, the Panthers are having pass protection issues all over their offensive line, so Hubbard could record his second sack of his young career as well. Dre KirkpatrickIn fairness to the eldest member of the Bengals secondary, his first two games have been about as good overall compared to his counterpart William Jackson. But the head-scratching moments always seem to happen when the ball comes Kirkpatrick’s way. As expected Clark Harris Jersey White , Kirkpatrick has been tested more than Jackson thus far, especially deep down the field. John Brown beat and lost to Kirkpatrick a couple times in last Thursday’s game, as Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco showed he did want to test Kirkpatrick in that matchup.Newton is even more aggressive in pushing the ball vertically, and we could expect a similar performance from Kirkpatrick because of it. Panthers wide receiver and former Baltimore Raven Torrey Smith is currently 9th in the NFL in Average Targeted Air Yards per NFL.com’s Next Gen Stats, so Kirkpatrick might have a full day of trailing on vertical routes with Smith. CINCINNATI (AP) — The surprise isn’t that Marvin Lewis is gone, but that it took so long for the Bengals to make the change.Lewis arrived in 2003 and elevated one of the NFL’s most forlorn franchises to respectability, but couldn’t take it to the next level. He was fired Monday after his 16th season of failing to win a playoff game.Now, owner Mike Brown will decide whether to bring in an outsider who will shake things up, or stay the course with someone who is familiar.“I didn’t deliver what the No. 1 goal is, and that’s to be world champions, and we did not get that done,” Lewis said at a news conference. “A lot of positives, but that’s the one goal as a coach you look forward to doing. Mike and I both decided it’s time. I think it’s a tough moment for both of us, but we both realized.”Lewis’ departure ends the second-longest active coaching tenure in the NFL . New England’s Bill Belichick is wrapping up his 19th season with another postseason berth. He’s won five Super Bowls and made eight appearances in the title game C.J. Uzomah Jersey White , both NFL records.By contrast, Lewis leaves Cincinnati with a postseason record of 0-7, the worst in NFL history. The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since the 1990 season, tied with Washington for the fifth-longest futility in league history.A third straight losing season punctuated by plummeting attendance prompted the change-resistant owner to cut ties with Lewis.The Bengals (6-10) lost in Pittsburgh 16-13 on Sunday — their eighth straight defeat against their AFC North rival — and finished last in the division for only the second time under Lewis. Attendance at Paul Brown Stadium has fallen to second-lowest in the league, ahead of only the Los Angeles Chargers, who are playing in a small, temporary stadium.The empty seats were undoubtedly one of the factors. Cincinnati averaged 50,753 fans, the third straight year with a notable decline. Brown said before the start of training camp that he was keenly aware of fans’ growing animosity and indifference.Brown didn’t appear with Lewis on Monday. He said in a statement that he’s “very fond of Marvin.”“But it is time to turn the page and look toward the next chapter for our organization, and we are excited about what the future holds for the team and our fans,” Brown said.Lewis lobbied Monday for Hue Jackson to get an interview for the job. Lewis hired Jackson, a close friend, as a special assistant after he was fired by the Browns in October.“I think he’s more than qualified,” Lewis said. “I think he’s been in a couple of difficult situations (in Oakland and Cleveland) and that’s tough Womens Boomer Esiason Jersey , and it hasn’t broke his way. But I think he’s an excellent football coach, he’s a great motivator, he’s detailed. So I think he deserves an opportunity, if not here somewhere else.”Jackson walked through the locker room on Monday on his way to the dining room and declined interviews.“I’m going to lunch,” he said.As Jackson ate with other staff members, a big-screen television on the wall was tuned to a station recapping the firings around the league. It was odd for players to think of someone else as the head coach.“Me growing up here, that’s all I knew since I was 10 years old,” said 26-year-old linebacker Preston Brown, a Cincinnati native. “It’s kind of a surreal moment to see right now that he’s not here anymore. I mean, he’s part of Cincinnati. To have him gone is a big shock to me.”Lewis has readily acknowledged he wouldn’t have lasted so long anywhere else. The owner’s well-known loyalty provided second, third, and ultimately a 16th chance in a what-have-you-done-this-year league. He leaves as the franchise’s leader in coaching tenure, wins and losses with a record of 131-129-3.Lewis was a rare hire from outside the organization when Brown brought him aboard in 2003, three years after he helped Baltimore win a Super Bowl. He made a glittery arrival Ryan Glasgow Jersey White , flashing his diamond-encrusted Ravens Super Bowl ring at his introductory news conference.He quickly turned the downtrodden Bengals into a competitive team, and then a playoff team. Lewis couldn’t win a playoff game, though.The Bengals made a club-record five straight playoff appearances from 2011-15, but lost in the first round every time, setting an NFL record for ineffectiveness. His best chance was frittered away by two players who were brought to Cincinnati in spite of their history of outbursts.Leading the Steelers in the closing minutes during the playoffs after the 2015 season, Lewis’ team had one of the worst meltdowns in NFL history. Jeremy Hill’s fumble gave the Steelers one last chance, and Vontaze Burfict and Adam “Pacman” Jones got 15-yard penalties that set up the Steelers’ field goal with 14 seconds left for an 18-16 win.The Bengals sparked hope of a turnaround this season with a 4-1 start, but a historically bad defense undercut it. Lewis fired coordinator Teryl Austin at midseason, and Cincinnati finished the season by dropping nine of its last 11 games in what amounted to Lewis’ final chance.“It’s been a lot,” Lewis said. “This season’s been a lot.”